Flexible circuit board connecting structure and signal transmission device of vehicle electric heater

Abstract

The application discloses a flexible circuit soft plate connecting structure and a signal transmission device of a vehicle electric heater. The flexible circuit soft plate connecting structure comprises a flexible substrate and a solder resist circuit printed on the flexible substrate and used for transmitting electric signals. The solder resist circuit comprises a solder pad attached to a first end of the flexible substrate and used for being in communication with a multi-circuit signal connector, a copper-exposed gold finger attached to a second end of the flexible substrate and used for being in communication with a flip cover type connector, and a communication circuit attached to a middle part of the flexible substrate and in communication with the solder pad and the copper-exposed gold finger. The flexible circuit soft plate connecting structure can not only realize effective conduction and transmission of signals between different connectors, but also can meet the flexible and diverse requirements of the connecting mode due to the flexible substrate of the flexible circuit soft plate connecting structure being soft and capable of being arbitrarily bent and twisted and the number and shape of the solder resist circuit being variable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of electronic technology, and in particular relates to a flexible circuit board connection structure and a signal transmission device for a vehicle electric heater. Background Technology

[0002] When faced with signal transmission requirements, existing vehicle electric heaters typically use an insulated belt connection structure or a metal pin welded circuit board connection structure to achieve the corresponding signal transmission.

[0003] Traditional insulated belt bundle connection structure 100 Figure 1 As shown, the connection structure includes an insulating belt bundle 101 as a connection carrier and metal pin terminals 102 disposed at both ends of the insulating belt bundle 101. When using the insulating belt bundle connection structure 100, the metal pin terminals 102 need to be pressed and assembled with the connecting device 103, which is a relatively complex assembly process. Furthermore, the insulating belt bundle connection structure 100 is mainly produced manually using a vulcanization extrusion molding method. The resulting insulating belt bundle 101 may have inconsistent insulation thickness, or even exposed wire sheaths, resulting in poor material consistency. When such defective materials are used in vehicle electric heaters, there may be failures due to unstable signal transmission.

[0004] Traditional metal pin soldering circuit rigid board connection structure 200 Figure 2(a) , 2(b) As shown, the connection structure includes a circuit board 201 and metal pins 202 soldered to the circuit board 201. Because it is manufactured by soldering, it is relatively heavy (more than twice as heavy as the insulated belt connection structure). At the same time, the shape of the metal pins 202 in this connection structure is usually fixed, such as a 180° straight pin as shown in Figure 2(a) or a 90° bent pin as shown in Figure 2(b). The circuit board is a rigid plate. When using the metal pins to solder the circuit board connection structure 200, the connecting device 203 needs to be injection molded into the metal pins 202, which will result in an inflexible connection method. For example, when the metal pin soldered circuit board connection structure 200 is used on a vehicle electric heater, it can only be horizontal or vertical between itself and the connecting device 203, which cannot meet the requirements of flexibility and diversity of connection methods during signal transmission. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in related technologies. To this end, this application proposes a signal transmission device for a flexible connection structure and a vehicle electric heater, which can meet the requirements of flexibility and diversity in connection methods while ensuring the effectiveness of signal transmission.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a flexible circuit board connection structure, the structure comprising:

[0007] A flexible substrate, and a solder mask circuit printed on the flexible substrate for transmitting electrical signals.

[0008] The solder mask circuit includes a pad attached to the first end of the flexible substrate for communication with a multi-loop signal connector, an exposed copper gold finger attached to the second end of the flexible substrate for communication with a flip-top connector, and a connecting circuit attached to the middle of the flexible substrate and connecting the pad and the exposed copper gold finger.

[0009] The flexible circuit board connection structure provided in this application includes a flexible substrate and a solder mask circuit printed on the flexible substrate for transmitting electrical signals. The solder mask circuit includes a pad attached to a first end of the flexible substrate, exposed copper gold fingers attached to a second end of the flexible substrate, and a connecting circuit attached to the middle of the flexible substrate and connecting the pad and the exposed copper gold fingers. The pad can be used to connect with a multi-loop signal connector, and the exposed copper gold fingers can connect with a flip-type connector. It can not only realize the effective conduction and transmission of signals between different connectors, but also meet the flexible and diverse requirements of connection methods because the flexible substrate of the flexible circuit board connection structure in this embodiment is flexible, can be bent and twisted arbitrarily, and its solder mask circuit manufacturing process is flexible, and the number and shape of the solder mask circuit can be varied.

[0010] In some embodiments, the solder resist circuit includes sub-solder resist circuits disposed in different film layers;

[0011] The surfaces of the connecting circuits of the sub-solder resist circuits in each film layer are covered with a cover film, but the surfaces of the solder pads and exposed copper fingers of each sub-solder resist circuit are not covered with the cover film.

[0012] In some embodiments, the covering film is a composite film made of the metal material, the microwave absorbing material, and the polyimide material; or the covering film is a thin film made of polyimide; the thickness of the covering film is less than or equal to 0.1 mm.

[0013] The surfaces of the solder pads and the exposed copper gold fingers are electroplated with a coating material.

[0014] In some embodiments, the pad is provided with at least one solder joint hole, which is used to generate a solder joint when the pad is connected to the multi-loop signal connector;

[0015] The flexible circuit board connection structure also includes:

[0016] A rigid material reinforcing plate is provided with reinforcing holes that match the solder joint holes. The reinforcing plate is disposed at the first end of the flexible substrate and covers the solder pad, so that the solder joint holes and the reinforcing holes are in communication.

[0017] In some embodiments, the reinforcing plate is made of a rigid polyimide material, and the thickness of the reinforcing plate is less than or equal to 0.3 mm; or

[0018] The reinforcing plate is made of rigid fiberglass board, and the thickness of the reinforcing plate is less than or equal to 2.0 mm.

[0019] In some embodiments, the solder resist circuit is made of copper or a copper alloy, and the thickness of the solder resist circuit is less than or equal to 0.1 mm; the flexible substrate is made of a soft polyimide material, and the thickness of the flexible substrate is less than or equal to 0.1 mm.

[0020] The solder resist circuit is attached to the flexible substrate by at least one of the following processes: vapor deposition, electroplating thickening, and exposure development, and is implemented by at least one of the following methods: micro-etching and browning when attaching the solder resist circuit to the flexible substrate.

[0021] In some embodiments, the reinforcing plate is bonded above the solder pad by an adhesive material; the cover film in each film layer is bonded to the surface of the connecting loop of each of the sub-solder resist circuits by the adhesive material.

[0022] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a signal transmission device for a vehicle electric heater, the device including the flexible circuit board connection structure of the first aspect mentioned above, as well as a loop signal connector and a flip-top connector.

[0023] The pads of the flexible circuit board connection structure are connected to the multi-loop signal connector by generating solder joints, and the exposed copper gold fingers of the flexible circuit board connection structure are connected to the flip-top connector by plugging.

[0024] The signal transmission device for a vehicle electric heater provided in this application includes a flexible circuit board connection structure, a multi-loop signal connector, and a flip-top connector. The pads of the flexible circuit board connection structure are connected to the multi-loop signal connector by generating solder joints. The exposed copper gold fingers of the flexible circuit board connection structure are connected to the flip-top connector by plugging. This not only enables effective conduction and transmission of signals between different connectors, but also, because the flexible substrate of the flexible circuit board connection structure in this embodiment is soft, can be bent and twisted arbitrarily, and the number and shape of its solder resist circuits are variable, it can meet the requirements of flexible and diverse connection methods.

[0025] In some embodiments, the device further includes a vehicle electric heater and an elastic material;

[0026] The flexible circuit board connection structure is inserted into the elastic material at its center.

[0027] The vehicle electric heater includes a fixing member, a pressure plate, and a fixing member. The main body is provided with a mounting groove. The elastic material and the flexible circuit board connection structure pass through the mounting groove. The pressure plate covers the opening of the mounting groove and is fixed to the main body by the fixing member.

[0028] In some embodiments, the vehicle electric heater further includes a communication signal board, and the exposed copper gold fingers of the flexible circuit board connection structure include multiple signal pins;

[0029] The communication signal board includes a positive power supply, a negative power supply, an enable signal module, a CAN communication module, a LIN communication module, and a high-voltage interlock module.

[0030] The positive power supply terminal is connected to the positive power supply pin of the exposed copper gold finger, the negative power supply terminal is connected to the negative power supply pin of the exposed copper gold finger, the enable signal module is connected to the enable pin of the exposed copper gold finger, the CAN communication module is connected to the CAN communication pin of the exposed copper gold finger, the LIN communication module is connected to the LIN communication pin of the exposed copper gold finger, and the high-voltage interlock module is connected to the high-voltage interlock pin of the exposed copper gold finger.

[0031] The above-described one or more technical solutions in the embodiments of this application have at least the following technical effects:

[0032] The flexible circuit board connection structure provided in this application includes a flexible substrate and a solder mask circuit printed on the flexible substrate for transmitting electrical signals. The solder mask circuit includes a pad attached to a first end of the flexible substrate, exposed copper gold fingers attached to a second end of the flexible substrate, and a connecting circuit attached to the middle of the flexible substrate and connecting the pad and the exposed copper gold fingers. The pad can be used to connect with a multi-loop signal connector, and the exposed copper gold fingers can connect with a flip-type connector. It can not only realize the effective conduction and transmission of signals between different connectors, but also meet the flexible and diverse requirements of connection methods because the flexible substrate of the flexible circuit board connection structure in this embodiment is flexible, can be bent and twisted arbitrarily, and its solder mask circuit manufacturing process is flexible, and the number and shape of the solder mask circuit can be varied.

[0033] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0034] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a conventional insulated belt bundle connection structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0036] Figure 2(a) is one of the structural schematic diagrams of a conventional metal pin soldering circuit rigid board connection structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0037] Figure 2(b) is a second schematic diagram of the conventional metal pin soldering circuit rigid board connection structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0038] Figure 3 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the flexible circuit board connection structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 4(a) is one of the assembly schematic diagrams of the flexible circuit board connection structure and the multi-loop signal connector provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 4(b) is a second assembly diagram of the flexible circuit board connection structure and multi-loop signal connector provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 5 This is an assembly diagram of the flexible circuit board connection structure and the flip-top connector provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0042] Figure 6 This is a second schematic diagram of the flexible circuit board connection structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0043] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the composite membrane provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0044] Figure 8 One of the schematic diagrams of the signal transmission device for a vehicle electric heater provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0045] Figure 9(a) is one of the assembly diagrams of the flexible circuit board connection structure and the main body of the vehicle electric heater provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 9(b) is one of the assembly diagrams of the flexible circuit board connection structure and the main body of the vehicle electric heater provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the exposed copper gold finger structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 11This is a schematic diagram of the communication signal board of the vehicle electric heater provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0049] Reference numerals: 1-Multi-loop signal connector; 2-Flexible circuit board connection structure; 20-Connecting loop; 21-Reinforcing plate; 22-Adhesive material; 23-Covering film; 24-Solder resist loop; 241-First sub-solder resist loop; 242-Second sub-solder resist loop; 25-Flexible substrate; 26-Pad; 261-Solder point; 262-Solder point hole; 27-Exposed copper gold finger; 28-Plating material; 29-Composite film; 291-Polyimide; 292-Metallic material, microwave absorbing material; 3-Flip-type connector; 4-Elastic material; 5-Pressure plate; 6-Fixing component; 7-Main body;

[0050] 100 - Insulated belt bundle connection structure; 101 - Insulated belt bundle; 102 - Metal pin terminal; 103 - Connecting device;

[0051] 200 - Metal pin soldering circuit rigid board connection structure; 201 - Circuit rigid board; 202 - Metal pin; 203 - Connecting device. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0053] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0054] like Figure 3As shown, the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 includes: a flexible substrate 25, and a solder mask circuit 24 printed on the flexible substrate 25 for transmitting electrical signals; wherein, the solder mask circuit 24 includes a pad 26 attached to the first end of the flexible substrate 25 for communicating with a multi-loop signal connector 1, an exposed copper gold finger 27 attached to the second end of the flexible substrate 25 for communicating with a flip-type connector 3, and a connecting circuit 20 attached to the middle of the flexible substrate 25 and connecting the pad 26 and the exposed copper gold finger 27.

[0055] It should be noted that the flexible substrate 25 in this embodiment can be made of a soft polyimide material. The thickness of the flexible substrate 25 is less than or equal to 0.1 mm, and it provides a substrate carrier for the solder resist circuit 24, on which the solder resist circuit 24 is printed. The solder resist circuit 24 in this embodiment can be made of copper or a copper alloy. The thickness of the solder resist circuit 24 is less than or equal to 0.1 mm. It is attached to the flexible substrate 25 by at least one of the following processes: vapor deposition, electroplating thickening, and exposure and development. At the same time, it can be achieved through at least one of the following methods during the production process: micro-etching and browning, thereby ensuring that the connection and fixation between the solder resist circuit 24 and the flexible substrate 25 is more stable and tighter.

[0056] The flexible circuit board connection structure 2 provided in this embodiment includes a flexible substrate 25 and a solder mask circuit 24 printed on the flexible substrate 25 for transmitting electrical signals. The solder mask circuit 24 includes a pad 26 attached to a first end of the flexible substrate 25, an exposed copper gold finger 27 attached to a second end of the flexible substrate 25, and a connecting circuit 20 attached to the middle of the flexible substrate 25 and connecting the pad 26 and the exposed copper gold finger 27. The pad 26 can be used to connect with a multi-loop signal connector 1, and the exposed copper gold finger 27 can be used to connect with a flip-type connector 3. This not only enables effective conduction and transmission of signals between different connectors, but also, because the flexible substrate 25 of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 in this embodiment is flexible, can be bent and twisted arbitrarily, and the manufacturing process of the solder mask circuit 24 is flexible, the number and shape of the solder mask circuit 24 can be varied, thus meeting the requirements for flexible and diverse connection methods.

[0057] Furthermore, since the process of printing solder resist circuits on flexible substrate 25 is more advanced, mainly including electroplating, developing, etching, bonding, laser cutting and AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) inspection, the manufactured materials have better properties and consistency. Moreover, due to the flexibility of the manufacturing process of solder resist circuit 24, the number and shape of solder resist circuit 24 can be varied. Therefore, it can be used in vehicle electric heaters and is suitable for a wide variety of applications, offering flexibility and variety, while also exhibiting more stable and reliable signal transmission capabilities.

[0058] In some embodiments, the pad 26 is provided with at least one solder joint hole 262, which is used to generate solder joints 261 when the pad 26 is soldered to the multi-loop signal connector 1. This ensures the effectiveness of the connection between the multi-loop signal connector 1 and the pad 26.

[0059] It is worth noting that, in the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 of this application embodiment, during assembly, the solder pads 26 of the solder mask circuit are used to connect with the multi-loop signal connector 1 via soldering. Soldering methods include, but are not limited to, wave soldering, selective wave soldering, and DIP (Dual In-line Package) soldering, and solder joints 261 are generated in the solder joint holes 262 of the solder pads 26. Figure 4(a) shows the assembly state before soldering, and Figure 4(b) shows the assembly state after soldering. The exposed copper gold fingers 27 of the solder mask circuit are used to connect with the flip-top connector 3 via a plug-in connection, specifically by aligning the exposed copper gold fingers 27 with the flip-top connector 3, such as... Figure 5 In state one, open the crimp cover of the flip-top connector 3, as follows: Figure 5 In state two, insert the exposed copper gold fingers 27 into the flip-type connector 3, and then snap the crimp cover closed, as shown. Figure 5 In state three, the flip-top connector 3 and the exposed copper gold fingers 27 make contact through interference fit and crimping, thereby achieving connection and transmission of electrical signals. This method is simple, convenient, and easy to implement. It can be understood that the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 in this embodiment can also be connected to other types of connectors, and therefore can be applied to different applications.

[0060] In some embodiments, the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 further includes a rigid material reinforcing plate 21, the reinforcing plate 21 having a reinforcing hole matching the solder joint hole 262, the reinforcing plate 21 being disposed at the first end of the flexible substrate 25 and covering the solder pad 26, such that the solder joint hole 262 communicates with the reinforcing hole.

[0061] The rigid reinforcing plate 21 serves to increase the structural strength of the area near the solder pad 26 and reduce thermal stress deformation in this area during welding. Simultaneously, the reinforcing plate 21 also prevents defects such as solder joint 261 pull-out and circuit breakage when the flexible circuit board is bent under stress. The through-hole between the reinforcing hole and the solder joint hole 262 further protects the solder joint 261, ensuring its stability.

[0062] In some embodiments, the reinforcing plate 21 is made of a rigid polyimide material, and the thickness of the reinforcing plate 21 is less than or equal to 0.3 mm.

[0063] In some embodiments, the reinforcing plate 21 is made of a rigid material such as fiberglass board, and the thickness of the reinforcing plate 21 is less than or equal to 2.0 mm.

[0064] Both polyimide and fiberglass board have a certain strength, which can ensure the hardness of reinforcing plate 21. At the same time, the thickness of reinforcing plate 21 is controlled within a certain range to ensure the flexible installation of flexible circuit board connection structure 2.

[0065] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the solder resist circuit 24 includes sub-solder resist circuits disposed in different film layers; the surface of the connecting circuit 20 of the sub-solder resist circuits in each film layer is covered with a cover film 23, and the surface of the solder pads 26 and exposed copper gold fingers 27 of each sub-solder resist circuit is not covered with the cover film 23.

[0066] Since multiple signals may need to be transmitted, multiple sub-solder resist circuits are designed. Each sub-solder resist circuit is placed in a different film layer, and the surface of the connecting circuit 20 of the sub-solder resist circuits in each film layer is covered with a cover film 23 for isolation. This achieves the transmission of different signals while avoiding electromagnetic interference between different signals and improving electromagnetic compatibility.

[0067] It is understandable that the pads 26 and exposed copper fingers 27 are for communication with the multi-loop signal connector 1 and the flip-top connector 3, so their surfaces do not need to be covered with a cover film 23, otherwise it will affect the direct connection and conduction between the pads 26 and exposed copper fingers 27 and the outside world.

[0068] In some embodiments, the surfaces of the pads 26 and the exposed copper fingers 27 are electroplated with a plating material 28.

[0069] In this embodiment, by performing surface plating treatment on the pads 26 and exposed copper fingers 27, a plating material 28 is electroplated onto their surfaces, thereby enabling the pads 26 and exposed copper fingers 27 to withstand harsh operating environments and to be used in high temperature and high humidity environments, resulting in low contact resistance and good contact performance.

[0070] Furthermore, the plating material 28 includes a bottom nickel layer and a top gold layer, that is, chemical nickel-gold surface treatment is performed on the pads 26 and exposed copper gold fingers 27. Specifically, a layer of nickel is first electroplated on the surface of the pads 26 and exposed copper gold fingers 27, and then a layer of gold is electroplated. The thickness of the electroplated nickel-gold material is less than or equal to 0.1 mm, thereby ensuring good environmental durability and convenience for the pads 26 and exposed copper gold fingers 27.

[0071] In some embodiments, the covering film 23 is a thin film made of polyimide, and the thickness of the covering film 23 is less than or equal to 0.1 mm.

[0072] In this embodiment, the cover film 23 is a soft film made of polyimide (PI). Polyimide is a high-performance polymer with excellent high temperature resistance (up to 300°C or above), chemical stability and mechanical strength. It can achieve isolation and insulation protection of the neutron resist circuit in each film layer while minimizing the impact on the flexibility of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2.

[0073] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 The covering film 23 is a composite film 29 made of the aforementioned metal material, microwave absorbing material (292), and polyimide (291), and the thickness of the covering film 23 is less than or equal to 0.1 mm. This composite film 29 has strong electromagnetic interference resistance, which can further improve the electromagnetic interference resistance of the neutron resist welding circuit in different film layers. Specifically, the metal material and the microwave absorbing material (292) are silver and / or copper.

[0074] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the surface of the connecting loop 20 of the uppermost sub-solder resist circuit is covered with a thin film of polyimide material, and the surface of the connecting loop 20 of the sub-solder resist circuits in other film layers is covered with a composite film 29 made of the metal material, the microwave absorbing material (292) and the polyimide (291) material, which improves the electromagnetic interference resistance while saving material costs.

[0075] In some embodiments, the solder mask circuit 24 includes a first sub-solder mask circuit 241 located on the upper layer and a second sub-solder mask circuit 242 located on the lower layer, wherein the first sub-solder mask circuit 241 is a power signal circuit and the second sub-solder mask circuit 242 is another signal circuit.

[0076] In some embodiments, the reinforcing plate 21 is bonded to the pad 26 by an adhesive material 22.

[0077] Understandably, the adhesive material 22 can be a high-strength adhesive. The reinforcing plate 21 is bonded to the pad 26 via the adhesive, enhancing the structural strength of the area near the pad 26. During the production process, heating and pressurization are used to ensure complete curing of the adhesive, thereby achieving reliable bonding of the reinforcing plate 21 to the pad 26.

[0078] In some embodiments, the cover film 23 in each film layer is bonded to the surface of the connecting circuit 20 of each of the sub-solder resist circuits by the adhesive material 22.

[0079] As mentioned earlier, the surfaces of the connecting loops 20 of the sub-weld resist circuits in each film layer are covered with a cover film 23 to achieve insulation isolation between the sub-weld resist circuits. In this embodiment, the cover film 23 is applied to the surfaces of each sub-weld resist circuit through bonding with an adhesive material 22 (high-strength adhesive). During the production process, heating and pressurization are used to ensure complete curing of the adhesive, thereby achieving reliable bonding of the cover film 23 to the surfaces of the corresponding connecting loops 20 of the sub-weld resist circuits.

[0080] like Figure 8 As shown, this application embodiment also provides a signal transmission device for a vehicle electric heater, including the aforementioned flexible circuit board connection structure 2, and further including a multi-loop signal connector 1 and a flip-top connector 3; the solder pads 26 of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 are connected to the multi-loop signal connector 1 by generating solder joints 261, and the exposed copper gold fingers 27 of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 are connected to the flip-top connector 3 by plugging.

[0081] The signal transmission device for a vehicle electric heater provided in this application includes a flexible circuit board connection structure 2, a multi-loop signal connector 1, and a flip-top connector 3. The pads 26 of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 are connected to the multi-loop signal connector 1 by generating solder joints 261. The exposed copper gold fingers 27 of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 are connected to the flip-top connector 3 by plugging. This not only enables effective conduction and transmission of signals between different connectors, but also, because the flexible substrate 25 of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 in this embodiment is soft, can be bent and twisted arbitrarily, and the number and shape of its solder resist circuits 24 are variable, it can meet the requirements of flexible and diverse connection methods.

[0082] It is understood that the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 in this embodiment has the same structure and function as the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 in the previous embodiment, and achieves the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0083] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9(a) ,9(b) As shown, the signal transmission device for the vehicle electric heater also includes the vehicle electric heater and the elastic material 4. The flexible circuit board connection structure 2 passes through the elastic material 4 in the middle. The vehicle electric heater includes a fixing member 7, a pressure plate 5, and a fixing member 6. The fixing member 7 is provided with a mounting groove. The elastic material 4 and the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 pass through the mounting groove. The pressure plate 5 covers the opening of the mounting groove and is fixed to the fixing member 7 by the fixing member 6.

[0084] Figure 9(a) is an exploded view of the components before assembly of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 and the fixing part 7 of the vehicle electric heater. Figure 9(b) is a structural schematic diagram of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 and the fixing part 7 of the vehicle electric heater after assembly. In this embodiment, the signal transmission device of the vehicle electric heater includes an elastic material 4. Specifically, the elastic material 4 can be a sponge. The middle part of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 is inserted into the elastic material 4. Specifically, the connecting loop 20 part of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 is inserted into the elastic material 4. In one embodiment, the elastic material 4 includes a first part and a second part. The first part and the second part are adhered and clamped to the middle part of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 by an adhesive material 22.

[0085] The vehicle electric heater includes a fixing member 7, a pressure plate 5, and a fixing member 6. The fixing member 7 is provided with a mounting groove. The aforementioned flexible circuit board connection structure 2 and elastic material 4 pass through and are clamped in the mounting groove of the fixing member 7. The pressure plate 5 is pressed at the upper opening of the mounting groove, forming a squeezing and compression of the elastic material 4 and the flexible circuit board connection structure 2. In this way, the elastic deformation and compression of the elastic material 4 ensure that the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 is fixed and installed securely.

[0086] Furthermore, the pressure plate 5 is fixed to the fixing member 7 by the fixing member 6, ensuring the installation and fixation of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2. More specifically, the fixing member 6 includes two screws, and the upper part of the fixing member 7 is provided with two screw holes near the groove of the mounting slot. The pressure plate 5 is provided with a through hole at the corresponding position. The two screws pass through the through hole on the pressure plate 5 and are fixed in the two screw holes of the fixing member 7 by threaded connection.

[0087] In some embodiments, such as Figure 10 , Figure 11As shown, the vehicle electric heater also includes a communication signal board, and the exposed copper gold fingers 27 of the flexible circuit board connection structure 2 include multiple signal pins. The communication signal board includes a positive power supply, a negative power supply, an enable signal module, a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication module, a LIN (Local Interconnect Network) communication module, and a high-voltage interlock module; the positive power supply is connected to the positive power supply pin of the exposed copper gold fingers 27, the negative power supply is connected to the negative power supply pin of the exposed copper gold fingers 27, the enable signal module is connected to the enable pin of the exposed copper gold fingers 27, the CAN communication module is connected to the CAN communication pin of the exposed copper gold fingers 27, the LIN communication module is connected to the LIN communication pin of the exposed copper gold fingers 27, and the high-voltage interlock module is connected to the high-voltage interlock pin of the exposed copper gold fingers 27.

[0088] like Figure 10 As shown, the exposed copper gold finger 27 includes multiple signal pins. Each signal pin can be a power positive pin, a power negative pin, an enable pin, a CAN communication pin, a LIN communication pin, and a high-voltage interlock pin, which correspond to the power positive, power negative, enable signal module, CAN communication module, LIN communication module, and high-voltage interlock module of the communication signal board of the vehicle electric heater, respectively.

[0089] like Figure 11 As shown, the positive power supply terminal of the communication signal board ( Figure 11 The positive terminal of the signal power supply (in the circuit) is supplied with a low voltage (typically 12V / 24V / 32V / 48V) within the range of 0-48V via a battery, and a fuse is connected in series for circuit protection. Its function is to provide power signals to the low-voltage side. The negative terminal of the communication signal board ( Figure 11 The negative terminal of the signal power supply (in the circuit) is connected to the ground of the product casing to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI). The enable signal module of the communication signal board can also serve as an address selection signal to control whether the vehicle's electric heater operates. The CAN communication module of the communication signal board connects to the CAN communication pin of the exposed copper gold finger 27 to achieve communication, control, and fault reporting functions. The LIN communication module of the communication signal board connects to the LIN communication pin of the exposed copper gold finger 27 to achieve communication, control, and fault reporting functions. The high-voltage interlock module of the communication signal board connects to the high-voltage interlock pin of the mating exposed copper gold finger 27 and receives a conduction signal to achieve a direct-through interlock function.

[0090] It should be noted that when the communication signal board of the vehicle electric heater is electrically connected to the exposed copper gold finger 27, the positive power supply terminal of the communication signal board needs to be connected to the positive power supply pin of the exposed copper gold finger 27, the negative power supply terminal needs to be connected to the negative power supply pin of the exposed copper gold finger 27, the enable signal module needs to be connected to the enable pin of the exposed copper gold finger 27, the CAN communication module needs to be connected to the CAN communication pin of the exposed copper gold finger 27, the LIN communication module needs to be connected to the LIN communication pin of the exposed copper gold finger 27, and the high-voltage interlock module needs to be connected to the high-voltage interlock pin of the exposed copper gold finger 27, thereby realizing the transmission of multiple signals. Furthermore, to avoid electromagnetic interference between multiple signals, the exposed copper gold finger 27 can include multiple sub-solder resist circuits disposed in different film layers, thereby improving the electromagnetic interference resistance. For example, in this embodiment, the exposed copper gold finger 27 may include a first sub-solder resist circuit 241 and a second sub-solder resist circuit 242. The first sub-solder resist circuit 241 is used to transmit power signals, and the second sub-solder resist circuit 242 is used to transmit enable signals, CAN communication signals, LIN communication signals, and high-voltage interlock signals, etc., to achieve electromagnetic isolation between power signals and other signals. Furthermore, a composite film 29 is used to isolate the first sub-solder resist circuit 241 and the second sub-solder resist circuit 242 to further isolate electromagnetic interference between power signals and other signals. Of course, it is understood that sub-solder resist circuits corresponding to each signal can also be set separately, with each sub-solder resist circuit set in a different film layer, and the sub-solder resist circuits isolated from each other by the composite film 29, to minimize electromagnetic interference between different electrical signals.

[0091] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0092] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

[0093] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0094] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A flexible circuit board connection structure, characterized in that, include: Flexible substrate (25), and solder mask circuit (24) printed on the flexible substrate (25) for transmitting electrical signals; The solder mask circuit (24) includes a pad (26) attached to the first end of the flexible substrate (25) for communication with the multi-loop signal connector (1), an exposed copper gold finger (27) attached to the second end of the flexible substrate (25) for communication with the flip-type connector (3), and a connecting circuit (20) attached to the middle of the flexible substrate (25) and connecting the pad (26) and the exposed copper gold finger (27).

2. The flexible circuit board connection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The solder resist circuit (24) includes sub-solder resist circuits disposed in different film layers; The surfaces of the connecting circuits (20) of the sub-solder resist circuits in each film layer are covered with a cover film (23), and the surfaces of the pads (26) and exposed copper gold fingers (27) of each sub-solder resist circuit are not covered with the cover film (23).

3. The flexible circuit board connection structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The covering film (23) is a composite film (29) made of the metal material, the microwave absorbing material and the polyimide material; or the covering film (23) is a thin film of polyimide material; the thickness of the covering film (23) is less than or equal to 0.1 mm; The surfaces of the pads (26) and the exposed copper gold fingers (27) are both electroplated with a coating material (28).

4. The flexible circuit board connection structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pad (26) is provided with at least one solder joint hole (262), which is used to generate solder joints (261) when the pad (26) is connected to the multi-loop signal connector (1); The flexible circuit board connection structure also includes: A rigid reinforcing plate (21) is provided with a reinforcing hole that matches the solder joint hole (262). The reinforcing plate (21) is disposed at the first end of the flexible substrate (25) and covers the solder pad (26), so that the solder joint hole (262) and the reinforcing hole are in communication.

5. The flexible circuit board connection structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The reinforcing plate (21) is made of rigid polyimide, and the thickness of the reinforcing plate (21) is less than or equal to 0.3 mm; or The reinforcing plate (21) is made of a rigid material called glass fiber board, and the thickness of the reinforcing plate (21) is less than or equal to 2.0 mm.

6. The flexible circuit board connection structure according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The solder resist circuit (24) is made of copper or copper alloy, and the thickness of the solder resist circuit (24) is less than or equal to 0.1 mm; the flexible substrate (25) is made of polyimide soft material, and the thickness of the flexible substrate (25) is less than or equal to 0.1 mm. The solder resist circuit (24) is attached to the flexible substrate (25) by at least one of the following processes: vapor deposition, electroplating thickening and exposure development, and is implemented by at least one of micro-etching and browning methods when attaching the solder resist circuit (24) to the flexible substrate (25).

7. The flexible circuit board connection structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The reinforcing plate (21) is bonded to the pad (26) above by an adhesive material (22); the cover film (23) in each film layer is bonded to the surface of the connecting loop (20) of each sub-solder resist circuit by the adhesive material (22).

8. A signal transmission device for a vehicle electric heater, characterized in that, Includes the flexible circuit board connection structure (2), multi-loop signal connector (1), and flip-top connector (3) as described in any one of claims 1-7; The pads (26) of the flexible circuit board connection structure (2) are connected to the multi-loop signal connector (1) by generating solder joints (261), and the exposed copper gold fingers (27) of the flexible circuit board connection structure (2) are connected to the flip-top connector (3) by plugging.

9. The signal transmission device for a vehicle electric heater according to claim 8, characterized in that, The device also includes a vehicle electric heater and an elastic material (4); The flexible circuit board connection structure (2) is inserted through the elastic material (4) in the middle. The vehicle electric heater includes a fixing member (7), a pressure plate (5), and a fixing member (6). The fixing member (7) is provided with a mounting groove. The elastic material (4) and the flexible circuit board connection structure (2) pass through the mounting groove. The pressure plate (5) covers the opening of the mounting groove and is fixed to the fixing member (7) by the fixing member (6).

10. The signal transmission device for a vehicle electric heater according to claim 8, characterized in that, The vehicle electric heater also includes a communication signal board, and the exposed copper gold fingers (27) of the flexible circuit board connection structure (2) include multiple signal pins; The communication signal board includes a positive power supply, a negative power supply, an enable signal module, a CAN communication module, a LIN communication module, and a high-voltage interlock module. The positive power supply terminal is connected to the positive power supply pin of the exposed copper gold finger (27), the negative power supply terminal is connected to the negative power supply pin of the exposed copper gold finger (27), the enable signal module is connected to the enable pin of the exposed copper gold finger (27), the CAN communication module is connected to the CAN communication pin of the exposed copper gold finger (27), the LIN communication module is connected to the LIN communication pin of the exposed copper gold finger (27), and the high voltage interlock module is connected to the high voltage interlock pin of the exposed copper gold finger (27).

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